PCOS

Hormones and PCOS

Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone. In PCOS hormones don’t communicate properly. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. This creates a cycle of out-of-balance hormones.

Sometimes the production of sex hormones, called androgens, starts to increase in PCOS. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount, but androgens are predominately a male hormone. This may cause you to cease ovulating, develop acne, and sometimes women grow extra facial and body hair, called hirutism.

PCOS is also related to insulin resistance, where your body has difficulty properly utilizing insulin. When your body isn’t responding to insulin like it should, your blood sugar levels go up. Unfortunately over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes. This is also the main reason why many women gain weight with PCOS.

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